Cherishing Brianna [Fate Harbor 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Caitlyn O'Leary

  “More, please more. Now, don’t leave me this time, Charlie.”

  “He won’t, Angel.” Soft kisses on her forehead, her temple, and her eyelids. Brianna felt four hands moving her, Zac reaching for the nightstand, and then she was positioned on top of him, looking down into his beautiful bronze eyes.

  “You can stop whenever you want, Brianna. You’re in charge.” She took control and lowered herself on his rigid shaft, glorying in the feel of his thick cock pushing into the tight flesh of her pussy. Brianna knew it was only going to get better when she could feel Charlie inside her as well.

  She laid her head down on Zac’s chest, squeezing tight on his shaft.

  “God, your cunt feels so good, Angel,” Zac said as he brushed back her red curls.

  “Her ass is going to feel even better,” Charlie said as he drizzled more warm oil down the seam of her ass, making her squirm in anticipation. She felt him drop a kiss at the dimple at the top of her butt, and then he spread her cheeks.

  “Tell me if I’m hurting you. I’m trusting you, Brianna. I couldn’t bear it if you let me hurt you.”

  Brianna turned her head so she could see him out of the corner of her eye, looking up at him. “I promise, Charlie, I would never betray your trust.” He started to press in and she bit her lip. The feeling was intense. The burn was bad, but it was good. She knew that just past the discomfort came the relief, and just past the relief came the joy.

  “Brianna?”

  “Yes, Charlie.” Her voice was calm. He pressed deep and they were all joined. She pressed her face into Zac’s chest so neither one could see the two tears that fell. Instead she just pressed down and then pushed up, sighing with blessed pleasure.

  No words were spoken, just sighs and moans of pleasure. All three seemed to realize that words would be irreverent. As one they found their release.

  Chapter 24

  There was something soothing about the rain. Charlie had been in plenty of other places in the rain, but Pacific Northwest rain often came down in plops, that almost caressed, even when the sky looked like it was gray and angry like it did this morning.

  “Coming in? Or are you going to force me to come out?” Charlie turned on the porch to see Sam Booth standing in the doorway, holding out a mug of coffee to him. He took it and considered the question. “Nobody else is up, so it’ll just be the two of us.”

  “I’m coming in.” Charlie wiped his feet and followed Sam through the great room to the kitchen that overlooked the lake out back.

  “Brianna’s breaking my heart, Sam.” Charlie settled into the chair at the breakfast nook. Sam raised his eyebrow. “That came out wrong.”

  “Doubt it,” the man said as he took a sip of coffee. “I take it she’s come clean?”

  “Yeah.” Charlie rubbed the back of his neck. “God, I want to just wrap her in cotton and never allow anyone to ever hurt her again, but how do I protect her from herself?”

  “You mean the mental illness?” Sam’s question seemed casual enough, but Charlie wasn’t fooled, the man was watching him like a hawk.

  “I mean she’s bound and determined to protect everyone but herself. She’s convinced that this makes her less-than. How do I get through to her? Hell, she doesn’t even know if this is a real issue for her, but she’s got it in her head she has to isolate herself from every goddamn person who loves her.”

  “And are you one of those people?”

  “Yes I am.”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I find that pretty hard to believe.” God, Sam sure didn’t pull any punches. “You’ve never really had a serious relationship. From everything I’ve heard you’ve never been looking for one.”

  “Well then you haven’t done your homework, Booth. I was engaged once.”

  “Ten years ago, and it isn’t like you’ve been pining away for her. The way I hear it you enjoy playing the field.”

  “I didn’t come here to be interrogated.”

  “No you came here because you wanted me to answer some very personal questions about my sister. I think you’re out of your mind, if you don’t think I’m going to want some answers of my own. I want to know what your intentions are. And, I want more than just lip service. I want to know that you’ve really thought this through, because I’ll be damned if I’ll open up about Brianna to a man who hasn’t got his head and heart in alignment.” They looked at each other, and finally Charlie looked away and watched the rain through the sliding glass door. Sam was right, he didn’t look like the best bet, but he was also wrong. He was one hundred percent committed to Brianna.

  “I don’t like having to answer to somebody about my intentions.”

  “I can imagine. Suck it up.” Charlie barked out a laugh.

  “I fucking love her. Full stop. I want to make a life with her. I don’t give a shit about the disease. I’ll deal with whatever I have to deal with.”

  “Have you looked into it, do you know what this could entail?”

  “Yes, and I’m prepared to deal with anything.”

  “That’s horseshit, Charlie. You don’t know how bad it can get. I do. I’m a social worker, I’ve seen just how out of control it can get.”

  “Jesus Christ, Sam, I’m a cop! Like I haven’t been dealing with the same kinds of issues for twenty years? I know how bad things can get. I also know there is a full spectrum of how schizophrenia can manifest. I know help is out there, and Zac told me a structured environment can help. I also know that Brianna probably doesn’t have it, she’s not exhibiting any of the signs, and if she would just open her eyes, and get over the fear, and get tested she would realize that.”

  “Great, so you’re in love with someone you’re convinced is healthy.”

  “Stop twisting my words.” Charlie didn’t shout, knowing there were two other people and a baby in the house. “I’m in this no matter fucking what. I want to marry her, and that means in sickness or in health. I’m prepared for anything. I’m coming to you, because I want to know what her family thinks of her asinine idea to cloister herself away in Southern California.”

  This time it was Sam’s turn to turn and look out the window and watch the rain. Charlie took it as a good sign. Maybe he had gotten through to the man that he was serious. Over the last five years he had gotten a chance to know this family. Butch and Betty had arrived first, then Chance. Almost two years later Sam had moved to Fate Harbor. There had never been any doubt in Charlie’s mind that despite the lack of biological connection, this was a family. They looked out for one another, and Brianna Kay Spencer was one of theirs.

  “Olivia will be back tonight.”

  “I thought she wasn’t going to be back for another four days.” Charlie was sure, because he was positive his woman had every intention to fly the coop before then.

  “Olivia had a conversation with Brianna that has her convinced Brianna is going to leave town sooner than she promised. Olivia intends to spike her guns.”

  “How?”

  “We plan to have an intervention. There’s a message waiting for you at the sheriff’s office, and one waiting for Zac at the veterinary clinic. We didn’t want you to get the calls when you were around Brianna.” The level of relief that Charlie felt was indescribable. There was now a chance that they could break through the wall that Brianna had erected. Still…

  “I don’t get it, Sam. Why is it taking such extreme action? I know how traumatized she was when she was young, but I would have thought that her time with Betty and Butch would have mitigated that.”

  Sam gave him an incredulous look. “Maybe you’re the one who should be locked up, Meade. How the fuck do you think someone could get past that kind of abuse? Even if she is perfectly sane, the level of fucked-upped-ness that she is carrying around is intense. Butch and Betty forced her into counseling, but I’d bet my bottom dollar she hasn’t been to a shrink since she left California. She’s terrified that she is going to be diagnosed with her father’s disease.”

  The
level of heat and anguish coming off of Sam made it clear that he had suffered as well. Charlie felt like a piece of shit. He had had one of the best childhoods imaginable, and he did figure that with counseling and the love of the Hutchins that Brianna had healed. Then he thought back to what Zac had told him about the night terrors, and mentally kicked himself harder.

  “Fuck, I screwed up.”

  “Charlie, I don’t know that you can do this. Fine, I now get the fact that you’ve fallen in love. I really do, but I don’t know that you’ve really gotten to know my sister. I think you’ve fallen in love with who you think Brianna is, and that’s not good enough. It’s not fair to her, and it’s not fair to you.”

  “You’re wrong, Sam. I know that woman’s heart. She is the best woman I’ve ever met. She shines.”

  Sam looked at him hard. “I agree, she does. But she has dark corners of her soul that still need to heal, and she’s going to need a lot of patience and support. I don’t know that you have the stick-to-it-ive-ness to be that man.”

  Charlie surged up from the chair, and just barely caught it before it hit the floor. “I hope you do a better job when you’re at work, because you have a shitty bedside manner.”

  “She’s my little sister. I’m not going to pull any punches with some dumb ass who hasn’t thought this shit through. The intervention is tonight. You keep your mouth shut, and you listen. Really listen. It’s going to be rough. But you’ll see those dark places, and you’ll see her at her worst. But you’re going to see people who love her to the bottom of her soul. We don’t intend to fail.”

  “I’m outta here.”

  “Are you going to be here tonight?”

  “Fuck yeah. What time?”

  “Seven. Remember what I said. Keep your mouth shut and listen.”

  It took everything Charlie had not to slam the door as he left. What an asshole. God how he had wanted to throw a punch. He never once doubted the fact that Sam loved his sister, but he sure as hell had him doubting himself, and that was one thing that Charlie could hardly ever remember happening. When he set upon a course of action, he was firm.

  Then he shook his head as he got into his patrol car. There had been Yvette. He hadn’t been firm about his relationship with her. As a matter of fact, he had been anything but firm. Sam Booth was right. He needed to get his head on straight. The rain seemed to be coming down even harder, and it seemed like the windshield wipers weren’t doing their job. It took a moment for Charlie to realize that he was tearing up.

  * * * *

  An intervention. He wasn’t against the idea. As a matter of fact, the more he thought about it, the more he was for it. But he realized just how hurt Brianna was going to be. It would be as if she were being skinned alive, no matter how well-meaning her family was. Zac called Charlie, but it went to voicemail. He knew that Charlie was on duty, and he never had his cell phone off, which just meant he was ducking his call. That wasn’t a good sign.

  He called Emily and checked to make sure she could cover for him for the day and evening, and she assured him that she had everything under control. He called Josie at the bakery to find out where Brianna was, and she told him that she was still hidden away in her apartment over the bakery.

  He had snagged one of Emily’s slickers and a set of her boots from her room, and he headed over to Brianna’s. He wasn’t surprised when she didn’t open the door, but after five minutes of insistent knocking, she finally opened the door with a more than disgruntled look on her face. In fact, she looked downright cranky.

  “I don’t want company.”

  “I don’t want to come in,” Zac countered.

  “Then what are you doing knocking on my door?” She was cute when she was waspish.

  “I want you to come out and play.” She looked past him at the rain and the gray skies and scowled.

  “You’re nuts.” He held up the slicker and boots.

  “I’ll wait here on the porch while you get suited up. I want to play, and I want company.” She took her sweet time staring at him, considering. Finally she sighed, grabbed the offered clothing, backed up, and slammed the door in his face. Yep, cranky. Cranky and cute.

  When she opened to door, he decided that yellow was definitely her color. God, she was stunning.

  “So I’m here. I’m dressed for the rain. What do you mean, play?” She actually stuck her lower lip out in a pout. Well, that was nothing more than an invitation, and he wasn’t a stupid man. Zac pushed her back one step inside her door, so that as he slid the hood down she wouldn’t get wet, and then he leaned in and lightly bit her lower lip. She let out a squeak. He was so hard, he was amazed he could stand.

  He sipped and tasted, and realized she had put on strawberry gloss, which made him smile. She’d preened for him. But it was the essence of Brianna that went to his head like the headiest cognac. Their tongues tangled, and the sensuous slide made him feel wanted and desired. It made him want to fuck and cherish this woman, brand her so she would never think of leaving. She let out a low moan in the back of her throat, and pulled at him as she took a half step backward.

  Slowly he began to draw back. Softer kisses, meant to calm and reassure. Today was for play. Tonight was going to be…well, it didn’t bear thinking about. Today was for play. He had a feeling that his girl didn’t have the first idea about playing, and he was going to change that. He smoothed her hood back in place.

  “I want to go have a picnic. I know the perfect place, and you seemed like the adventurous type.”

  “Eat in the rain? Let’s go eat over at Hart’s diner.”

  “Nope, that’s way too easy. I want to go grab some food at Earl’s Fish ‘n Chips Shack, and then go to this perfect spot I know.”

  “That doesn’t sound like fun. Nobody else will be out there.”

  “Even better. Come with me, your carriage awaits.” Zac was impressed with the sturdy railing and the slick-proof material that had been put onto each step on the stairs outside of Brianna’s little apartment. However, he still walked down first, so that if she were to slip, she would fall into him and he would be able to catch her.

  He escorted her to his suburban.

  “Beauty! Chaos! Oh, Zac, this is wonderful.” The dogs both barked eagerly as they got closer to the truck. He watched as she rushed to the truck and tried to open the door, shooting him a dirty look when she found the door locked. He pressed the key fob, and she was immediately covered in dog kisses. He was amazed she hadn’t had any pets in Dallas. Brianna was obviously someone who was meant to have people, animals, and probably children in her life, but instead she had built a brick wall around herself.

  “No wonder you didn’t want to go to Hart’s.” He laughed as she climbed into the backseat so that she could reach the dogs. Both of them were well trained enough not to crawl over into the backseat. He was glad to see that Brianna was also well trained enough to be wearing her seatbelt despite her excitement.

  He drove them the short way over to the pier where the restaurant was located. She ordered a small meal, and he tripled her order, knowing she was going to end up feeding the dogs. He took it to go. Then he ordered five times the amount he would need, and took the three bags back to the suburban.

  “So where are we headed?” she asked after she buckled herself back into the backseat.

  “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Zac took another twenty minutes to go to his favorite spot near the water. When everyone got out of the suburban and he looked over to the beach, Brianna looked dubious, and he had to swoop in for another kiss. “Trust me, you’ll have fun. This is playtime, remember?”

  He went to the back of the vehicle, and pulled out the long, rolled tarp that contained everything they’d need. He threw it over his shoulder with the handles of the plastic sack of food hanging off the end, and went to grab her hand, but instead of clasping his in return she gave him a surprised look. “Brianna?” He watched in fascination as a slow smile suffused her face.
Their fingers tangled, and he guided her through the driftwood and larger rocks toward the rough, wet sand.

  “You even brought a rake?”

  “The sand is rocky as hell, wanted us to be comfortable when we laid out the tarp.” Zac planted the big beach umbrella in the sand, and went to work raking a spot underneath so he could set out the tarp.

  “You know a picnic on a rainy beach is silly.”

  “We have to reframe your thinking. This is fun. It’s not windy. It’s not really cold. It’s just wet. Look out at the water. What do you see?” She stood and stared, and he watched her. It took a minute or two, but then he saw the moment when she really got it. When she relaxed into the moment and saw just how the clouds and choppy water looked.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said, her eyes wide with delight. “It’s not like a California beach at all.”

  “It reminds me of the beaches in England.” Zac bent and rolled out the tarp. He handed her the sack, and she laughed in delight when the dogs came up and plopped down in front of her.

  “I see why you bought enough to feed an army.”

  “We’ll take off the breading.”

  “Beauty sure is well behaved. Somebody trained her well. I can’t believe we haven’t found her owners.”

  “Emily and I have posted everywhere that we can think. We have been scouring the web as well. It’s been five weeks. I think the owners have given her up for dead.”

  “She sure has taken to you.”

  “Actually, she perks up a lot when you’re around, Brianna.” He really wasn’t surprised by the bond. Brianna had been by the clinic at least six times when he had been there, and three when Emily had been on duty. It was clear that Beauty realized who had saved her. “Come on, let’s get to eating before the food gets cold.”

  They sat down on the thick wool blanket, and he peppered her with questions about her time in Dallas. It was clear that what was most important to her was her time as a CASA worker. She told story after story of children that she had worked with.